title: C-myc mRNA expression in epithelial ovarian carcinomas in relation to estrogen receptor status, metastatic spread, survival time, FIGO stage, and histologic grade and type.
abstract: Recently, it has been suggested that c-myc expression might correlate with estrogen receptor (ER) status and metastatic spread in ovarian cancer. In this study, expression of c-myc mRNA in 90 epithelial ovarian carcinomas was determined using the S1 nuclease protection assay. Expression of c-myc mRNA was detectable in 27 of 90 tumors. There was no significant association between c-myc mRNA expression and metastatic spread, survival time, FIGO stage, or histologic grade and type. C-myc mRNA was expressed in 45% of ER-positive tumors but only 24% of ER-negative tumors (p = 0.094; Fisher's exact test). Similarly, 44% of progesterone receptor (PR)-positive and 23% of PR-negative tumors expressed c-myc mRNA (p = 0.098). However, the association between c-myc mRNA expression and ER and PR status was not statistically significant. The ratio of mean expression of c-myc mRNA in patients with FIGO stages III/IV compared with patients with FIGO stages I/II was 2.1:1, an insignificant difference (p = 0.57, Wilcoxon rank sum test). In conclusion, c-myc was not significantly associated with the clinical parameters investigated in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hengstler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luch
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meinert
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kreutz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arand
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilkens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oesch
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Knapstein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone